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Directors, Religious Activities and Education

The occupation Directors, Religious Activities and Education covers people who coordinate or design programs and conduct outreach to promote the religious education or activities of a denominational group. The job can ask you to develop or direct study courses or religious education programs within congregations. On the six-type interest model it reads SEA, meaning helping, teaching or caring for people comes first, followed by leading, persuading and making business decisions. Plan on a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience; O*NET labels this considerable preparation. Strength in speaking, social perceptiveness, and active listening helps most here. People who want helping, teaching or caring for people usually fit better here than those who need hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world.

What they do

Coordinate or design programs and conduct outreach to promote the religious education or activities of a denominational group. May provide counseling, guidance, and leadership relative to marital, health, financial, and religious problems.

Main tasks

  • Develop or direct study courses or religious education programs within congregations.
  • Identify and recruit potential volunteer workers.
  • Select appropriate curricula or class structures for educational programs.
  • Schedule special events, such as camps, conferences, meetings, seminars, or retreats.
  • Counsel individuals regarding interpersonal, health, financial, or religious problems.
  • Collaborate with other ministry members to establish goals and objectives for religious education programs or to develop ways to encourage program participation.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Active Listening
  • Service Orientation
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Instructing

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You get energy from helping other people move forward.
  • You like taking the lead and making the call.
  • You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
  • You are comfortable relying on speaking and social perceptiveness.

May not suit you if

  • You find a full day of dealing with people draining.
  • You want to work with your hands for most of the day. Realistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code SEA takes the three highest, and Social comes first here.

Preparation

Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Adult Ministries Director
  • Campus Ministries Director
  • Children's Ministries Director
  • Christian Education Director
  • Religious Education Coordinator

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.